President of Nintendo America, Reggie Fils-Aime claimed, "The early response to 'Mario Kart 8' demonstrates that the best days for Wii U are still ahead."

Released on 29 May in Japan and the following day across Europe and North America, the latest instalment's high sales figures compare well against previous releases in the popular racing game series. Mario Kart 64 has sold 9.87 million units, Mario Kart Wii 35.53 million units and Mario Kart 7 9.62 million units globally, as of March this year.

The success of the latest instalment also provides a much-needed boost to Wii U sales figures, increasing them by 666 per cent when compared to the previous week, according to Gfk Chart-Track.

Much of this can be attributed to the Mario Kart 8 Wii U bundle, which has helped raise sales figures for a console that has struggled since its launch in 2012.